Insulating devices for automobile manifolds and methods of making and using the same

ABSTRACT

THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO AN INSULATING DEVICE FOR USE ON AUTOMOBILE MANIFOLDS AND THE LIKE WHICH MAY BE MANUALLY INSTALLED WITHOUT FASTENERS COMPRISING BASE MEANS COMPOSED OF A SUITABLE FLEXIBLE INSULATING MATERIAL AND A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED ALUMINUM FOIL BACKING STRIPS OPERABLY FASTENED AT OPPOSITE EXTREMITIES OF SAID BASE MEANS.

Dec. 11, 1973 w. H. MCNIFF 3,778,340

INSULATING DEVICES FOR AUTOMOBILE MANIFOLDS AND METHODS OF MAKING ANDUSING THE SAME Filed Sept. 17, 1971 FIG. 1

FIG 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM H MC NIFF F 1.6. 5 BY ATTORNEY United StatesPatent O U.S. Cl. 161-39 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The presentinvention relates to an insulating device for use on automobilemanifolds and the like which may be manually installed without fastenerscomprising base means composed of a suitable flexible insulatingmaterial and a plurality of elongated aluminum foil backing stripsoperably fastened at opposite extremities of said base means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A particular application of the contemplatedinvention is for use as an insulating device to be disposed between theconventional exhaust manifold and spark plugs on a conventionalautomobile.

Ordinarily a heat shield is used to accomplish the foregoing purposewhich consists of a metal plate disposed between the exhaust manifoldand spark plugs and is secured to the engine by means of a plurality ofconventional fasteners.

Other applications contemplated by the present invention presently haveinsulators which are preformed to fit a particular part or is providedwith a fastening device or is used in conjunction with conventionalfasteners or fastening devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide an insulating device which may readily be formed byhand to fit into highly irregularly shaped spaces.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a devicewhich may readily be formed by hand to fit about an irregular shapedpart.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a devicewhich may be used without the necessity of using additional fasteners orfastening devices.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a devicewhich is simply and economically manufactured and used.

These together with other objects and advantages, which will becomesubsequently apparent, reside in the details and construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an insulating device constructed inaccordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective and sectional view of the device shownin FIG. 1 in a particular application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now in more detail andby reference characters to the drawings which illustrate practicalembodi- 3,778,340 Patented Dec. 11, 1973 ments of the present invention,FIG. 1 shows an elevation view of insulating device 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, insulating device 1 comprises elongated base means2, which is composed of a flexible insulating material such as glasswool, and a plurality of varied length strips 3, attached byconventional means such as shown in Okoomian patent, U.S. No. 2,840,500,to opposite extremities of said base-means 2 of essentially rectangularcross-section. Strips 3 are composed of a material which is readilymanipulated and shaped by hand and assumes the shape thus formed, suchas commercially available household aluminum foil. The flexibleinsulating material contemplated herein has, as stated above, thecharacteristics of glass wool. That is, it is highly flexible and tendsto remain intact when subjected to reasonable stretching in much thesame manner as steel wool.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of insulating device 1 to further illustratethe structure thereof.

FIG. 3 shows a particular application contemplated by the presentinvention wherein insulating device 1 is shown disposed between aconventional automobile exhaust manifold 4, a source of considerableheat, and an associated spark plug wire 6 and spark plug cover 5. It ishighly desirable for the spark plug cover 5 and spark plug wire 6, bothof which are normally covered with a rubber type material, to beshielded from the heat radiated from the exhaust manifold 4.

As may readily be seen in FIG. 3, insulating device 1 is utilized bysimply forming it by hand to fit within the space between opening 7, inmanifold 4, and spark plug cover 5 and spark plug wire 6, with strips 3providing a suflicient amount of rigidity to insulating device 1 toretain its shape and remain in position, and thus provide an effectiveinsulator without requiring additional fasteners or fastening devices.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that changes and modifications in theform, construction, arrangement and combination of the parts and stepsof the insulating device and methods of making and using the same may besubstituted for those herein shown and described without departing fromthe nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byUnited States Letters Patent is:

1. An insulating device for automobile exhaust manifolds comprising:

base means, said base means comprising an elongated piece of flexibleinsulating material, essentially rectangular in cross section, and

a plurality of elongated metallic foil backing strips of differentlengths operably fastened at the ends thereof to the ends of said basemeans and disposed above one surface thereof, said strips being longerthan said base means.

2. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said metallic foil isaluminum foil.

3. A device as described in claim 1 wherein said flexible insulatingmaterial is glass wool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,840,500 6/1958 Okoomian et a1.161-196 X 3,233,699 2/1966 Plummer 161-196X PHILIP DIER, PrimaryExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R.

